In computer/communications networks, network management refers to the activities, methods, procedures and tools that pertain to the operation, administration, maintenance and provisioning (“OAMP”) of networked systems. Operation deals with keeping the network (and the services that the network provides) up and running smoothly. It includes monitoring the network to spot problems as soon as possible, ideally before users are affected.
Administration deals with keeping track of resources in the network and how they are assigned. It includes all the “housekeeping” that is necessary to keep the network under control. Maintenance is concerned with performing repairs and upgrades. For example, when equipment must be replaced, when a router needs a patch for an operating system image, when a new switch is added to a network. Maintenance also involves corrective and preventive measures to make the managed network run “better”, such as adjusting device configuration parameters. Provisioning is concerned with configuring resources in the network to support a given service. For example, this might include setting up the network so that a new customer can receive voice service, data services, real time communications, etc.
Communications service providers, in general, manage network functions discretely. Managing individual pieces of network functions increases the operational burden. To alleviate this, service providers have resorted mainly to centralized management of discrete heterogeneous network functions from many vendors. Network management is essential to command and control practices and is generally carried out of a network operations center. Although centralized management alleviates the problem to a small degree, this method of network function management has several operational inefficiencies, as it attempts to concentrate network function intelligence in a single location, which creates knowledge mismatch and additional overhead on other ecosystem functions/products.